the foolish preaching

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posthuman

Senior Member
Jul 31, 2013
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#21
They demand empirical evidence while completely overlooking the primary definition for the word empirical!

based on, concerned with, or verifiable by observation or experience rather than theory or pure logic.

depending upon experience or observation alone, without using scientific method or theory

Then they refuse to listen to those with experience:rolleyes::geek:
for sure 'modern atheism' has a ton of bias when it dismisses spiritual knowledge on account of empiricism. especially insofar as mankind engages in much science these days concerning such things as cosmology and sub-atomic theory -- things too large and too small to be observed, which identification can only be theorized, and whose properties are only inferred.

but what is 'foolish' about the deistic worldview to the atheist? determinism vs. quantum? it's really not that technical, is it?
is it the demand for a sign?
what do they think is foolish about not being furnished with tangible evidences, and what makes that reality actually the wisdom of God?
 

Blade

Well-known member
Nov 19, 2019
1,730
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#22
What comes to mind I think is NOT what your asking but. One night walking with my wife there was this man yelling at people going into this movie. He was telling them how wrong evil it was..not of God. So I asked the Father "is this man of you?' He said "if he is not against me he is for me". Some will understand this next part. In that I knew its not what He would do but.. the gospel is being preached. There is SO much we teach preach that is NOT how He would do it.. but.. as out brother said or the holy Spirit said.. the gospel is being preached.
 

Grandpa

Senior Member
Jun 24, 2011
11,551
3,190
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#23
For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God,
it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
(1 Corinthians 1:21 kjv)

what is foolish about preaching?_________:unsure:
Its foolish to try and convince people about what God has done and what He continues to do with words/preaching.

Because people won't understand until it is given to them to understand.

But just because people won't understand doesn't mean that some of them won't believe. Understanding is not always needed for belief.

2 Corinthians 3:14-16
14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.
15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.
16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.
 
Mar 28, 2016
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#24
For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God,
it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
(1 Corinthians 1:21 kjv)

what is foolish about preaching?_________:unsure:
Its not the preaching that is foolish but those who look to confirm what they believe outwardly according to glorying in the flesh .

Natural unconverted mankind represented by the unbelieving Jew.

The preaching of the gospel is the power of God that work in us not after us. We walk by faith the unseen eternal . The gospel opposes those who do seek after what the eyes see. like the three musketeers, Paul, Apollos and Peter. Christ the unseen Holy Spirit that indwells all Christians who are reckoned as the temple of God we are baptized in that unseen authority that works in us.

Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius; Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name. And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other. For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
1 Corinthains 1 :12-22

By the foolishness of preaching. Foolishness to them the power of God to us.
 
Oct 25, 2018
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#25
good -

statistically speaking the people would probably believe in a god - at least one - and believe in something like sin. everyone knows evil exists in the world and in people - that something is 'wrong' that's sometimes close to right.
so i'm talking to a people who knows there is a spiritual world and knows there is good and evil. they probably even have some kind of rudimentary concept of '
salvation' at least in the sense of either achieving goodness in themselves or pleasing the deity or deities so that goodness will result, or some combination of such things. of 'fixing' the 'something wrong'
they likely believe achieving goodness or pleasing god(s) is accomplished by some combination of doing right actions, observing some ceremonial habits and/or rituals, and possibly somehow offering some kind of substance to the deity, usually connoting destruction of that substance.


so what is 'foolish' to such a person about the act of preaching? what's the general idea of preaching - what are the nuts and bolts of what it is and what it means to accomplish, and what are the details of why this is seen is as foolish by a generally deist, moralistic & religious audience?





and what are the nuts and bolts of what makes the gospel 'foolish' to a generally religious, moralistic, deist culture that prizes wisdom and stature?
Remember, Paul’s ministry was going to those who never had heard the gospel before, had never known the Christ had come in the flesh[Romans 15: 20-21].

Now, take that same mindset and go up to someone who’s never heard the good news. Tell them that the Christ was born of a virgin(that alone might get you laughed out of their village), lived a sinless, perfect life, died on a cross, was buried, and rose again three days later for our justification. To many, that’d be foolish talk.

That’s how I understand the foolishness of preaching that Paul was speaking about. But I could be wrong and am open to learning what you’re driving at. :):D
 

Blik

Senior Member
Dec 6, 2016
7,312
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#26
Ever since the gentiles headed the church councils replacing the Jewish Christian heads, as it was in the time of Paul, anything Jewish became foolishness. The Lord replaced fleshly circumcision with spiritual circumcision, the Lord asked that we refrain from uncleanliness in thought word and deed without using eating only food from animals with clean habits to symbolize this, but now all things of the OT was added to these. It became foolish to accept the holiness of God the Father, replacing the Father with the Son rather than accepting the Son, Father, and Holy Spirit as the true God.

At the time of Hitler there seemed to be a change in the world. Following that there was a change so last days prophecy began to come true and a new church domination was established. This movement was called the roots movement. This movement accepts the OT as equally from God as the new testament. The established church, in their certainty that all we learn of the Son replaced all told of the Father, is up in arms stating that all of the roots movement is foolishness.
 
Mar 28, 2016
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#27
Ever since the gentiles headed the church councils replacing the Jewish Christian heads, as it was in the time of Paul, anything Jewish became foolishness. The Lord replaced fleshly circumcision with spiritual circumcision, the Lord asked that we refrain from uncleanliness in thought word and deed without using eating only food from animals with clean habits to symbolize this, but now all things of the OT was added to these. It became foolish to accept the holiness of God the Father, replacing the Father with the Son rather than accepting the Son, Father, and Holy Spirit as the true God.

At the time of Hitler there seemed to be a change in the world. Following that there was a change so last days prophecy began to come true and a new church domination was established. This movement was called the roots movement. This movement accepts the OT as equally from God as the new testament. The established church, in their certainty that all we learn of the Son replaced all told of the Father, is up in arms stating that all of the roots movement is foolishness.
Yes any movement to restore the proper government spoken of in Isaiah 9 as upon his shoulder:(the father and Son.) That is not rooted in all things written in the law and the prophets (sola scriptura) It would not represent the good soil.

It as it is written used to represents the holy unseen place of the glory of the father.It is the exclusive reforming authority in any generation as time period, or denomination as people .
 

presidente

Senior Member
May 29, 2013
9,147
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#28
For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God,
it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
(1 Corinthians 1:21 kjv)

what is foolish about preaching?_________:unsure:

I Corinthians 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

It is considered foolish by unbelievers.
 

JohnRH

Junior Member
Mar 5, 2018
602
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#29
many translations ((not just English ones)) have some variant of "the foolishness being preached" -- with the implication that it isn't preaching itself which is foolish, but the thing being preached

if that's the case what's foolish about the thing being preached? _______________:unsure:
In verse 18 it's both the means and the content, "preaching of the cross", that are mis-perceived as foolishness.
In verse 21 it's just the means, "preaching", that is mis-perceived as foolishness.

People require and seek to unveil what is veiled, and as a result never find "the cross". The cross has to be heralded (preached) by those who know the cross.
 

presidente

Senior Member
May 29, 2013
9,147
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#30
If you walked down the street and head a man on the side of the road proclaiming you could live forever because of the kan who died in the electric chair...or if he were saying you should stick yourself with the lethal injection and gave eternal life through some man's lethal injection that might seem foolish to you.

The cross was probably considered more shameful...crucified naked. It was considered shameful to have stripes from being beaten as some slaves were.
 

stillness

Senior Member
Jan 28, 2013
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Walk trough the valley
#31
numbering your points for reference:
  1. How could a virgin birth even be possible?
  2. How could God become man and remain God at the same time?
  3. How could God the Father lay upon God the Son all the sins and guilt of the world?
  4. How could the Father forsake the Son for three dark hours?
  5. How could Christ become the Lamb of God who took away the sin of the world?
  6. How could the full penalty for sins be paid on a Roman cross during three dark hours?
  7. How could an innocent man be held guilty for the sins of someone else, particularly for all the sins of all sinners?
  8. How could a man rise from the grave within three days?
  9. How could believing on the death, burial, and resurrection of man give salvation and eternal life to a wicked criminal guilty of heinous crimes?

1, 2, 4, 5, 7 & 8 i don't think are very far fetched considering Greek mythos and how Rome adopted it. the Greek pantheon did a lot of weird & cosmic, miraculous things and was very anthropomorphic. 3 & 6 i think are a little esoteric to finer points of theology or nit-picking the precise nature of heavenly things - not 'deal breakers' to a religious Mediterranean audience but mysteries to awe at & meditate on. these aren't atheists we're talking about - IMO atheism is a relatively recent psychosis to develop among mankind - undoubtedly at least recent in its percentage of infected population.
which leaves 9, which i think is kind of the crux.


why does salvation by grace through belief, a righteousness of faith come across as foolish? what kind of mindset does that seem foolish to?
why does God humbling Himself to become a man, be rejected and abused even to death by His own people, and Him doing this on purpose to sacrifice Himself as a ransom, carrying away the guilt of all who put their hope in Him, sound foolish? what kind of mindset sees this as a ridiculous narrative?
The mening of "The folishness of preaching," is believing in God whom we dont see. And there is the aspect that "The folishness of God is Wiser for the wisdon of the wise of rhis world."
Love to the point of folly for His beloved: to lay down His Life for us. Dis you notice saying this in slitly diferent words, not knowing you were refering to the folisness of God. No trouble people often argue over saying the same thing diferently until we live from the heart: our heart set wholy on the Love of God. So that we enter His wisdom and get past our understanding. "Lean not on your understanding but trust in the Lord." Grace to forfet what's behimd and enter the Wisdom of God is not learned in undwratanding but led by the Holy Spirit, whom also, ww dont see. The aspect of investing our whole life without being able to afirm in undwrstanding, when confronted to die for our Faith as Jesus did for us, identifies us with the Folisness of God. We get a glimpse of Love to the point of folly and know that we cant go there appart from the Spirit of God living in us. Like the disciples during the hour and power of darkness in the garden of Getsemany, they were heavy wirh sleep.
 
Dec 12, 2013
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#32
What I find interesting is the fact that all of creation testifies and points of the reality of GOD....even the invisible things testify to his Godhood and power.....it must be utterly ridiculous and foolish to the all powerful God of Heaven that someone must proclaim the truth of God to save men.......

For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.

It is by GOD'S wisdom that 1 and 3 below are true.

1. The world through worldly wisdom cannot know or come to know God, regardless of the fact that the world (creation) points to God.
2. It must be a foolish thing with GOD that MEN must hear the message preach to believe and acknowledge to be saved
3. The foolishness of the thing preached is deemed foolish by men, NOT GOD.......